Men’s Packing Guide for All Seasons
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On each trip we further improve our packing. Based on many years of travel in Germany, below are the tried-and-true items I always take. I only bring items I know I’ll use and avoid anything heavy or that I can buy abroad.
I fit everything (about 80 individual items) into a 36-liter backpack and a 23-liter carry-on. Cate uses a women’s backpack and carry-on suitcase. Here’s my current list, in hopes that it will be helpful for you!
Packing Items
Main backpack: ULA 36-liter backpack with set of 3 packing cubes
Carry-On: Fjallraven Ulvo 23 Backpack – Mountain Blue
2 Compression bags: Sea to Summit eVac Ultra-Lightweight Compression Dry Bag
Toiletries bag: Sea to Summit TL Clear Zip Pouch
Umbrella: Repel Portable Travel Umbrella
Dual carabiner: Nite IZE S-Biner Stainless Steel
Luggage tags: 2 Pack Aluminum Tag Holders
Nylon mesh pouches for misc.: Sea Team 6pcs Multicolored Travel Pouches
Quart-size Ziplock bags to carry passport and International Driving Permit
Technology
Laptop: Lenovo X1 Carbon
Phone: iPhone 16, unlocked, with T-Mobile service
Travel adapter: Ceptics European Plug Travel Adapter Set
Additional 45W European Adapter: Super-Fast Travel Adapter
Portable battery for phone/camera: Anker Nano Power Bank
Laptop mouse: Logitech M330 SILENT Wireless Mouse
External hard drive: SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 4TB
Security cameras (at home): WYZE Cam v4, 2.5K QHD Wi-Fi Indoor/Outdoor Smart Home Security Camera
Phone case: Ringke Fusion iPhone 16 Pro Case
Wrist strap: Ringke phone wrist strap
Charging and connecting: USB Type-A to Type-C and 3-ft Type-C cables
NordVPN or Mullvad VPN software
DJI Osmo Pocket 3 camera:
Clothing
Tops:
Shell jacket: KUHL Stretch Voyagr Jacket
Puffer jacket (lightweight and compressible): Patagonia Men’s Micro Puff Insulated Hoody
Dress shirt: Lands’ End no iron supima pinpoint tailored fit button-down
Warm top w/ hoodie: Minus33 Merino Wool Trailblazer Men’s Full Zip Hoodie
Warm pull-over: Minus33 Merino Wool 714 Isolation Men’s Midweight 1/4 Zip
Long-sleeve: Smartwool Classic All-Season Merino Long-Sleeve Base Layer Top
Long-sleeve 1/4 zip: Smartwool Men’s Standard Classic Thermal Merino Base Layer 1/4 Zip
T-Shirt (medium weight): 100% Merino Wool Men’s Lightweight T-Shirt
T-Shirt (medium weight): MERIWOOL Men’s Merino Wool Short Sleeve T Shirt Lightweight
T-Shirt (light): Smartwool Classic All-Season Merino T-Shirt
T-Shirts, polo shirts: Favorite miscellaneous cotton shirts
Bottoms:
Jeans: Banana Republic Traveler jeans
Jeans: G-STAR men’s jeans
KÜHL Shorts: Kuhl Renegade Short 8″ Inseam, Koal
KÜHL Shorts: Kulh Silencr Kargo Short 8″ Inseam, Raven
Long underwear: Minus33 100% Merino Wool Base Layer 706 MidWeight Bottom
Sleep shorts: Arms of Andes – Men’s Alpaca Wool Shorts
Laundry day pants for longer trips: adidas Men’s Track Pants, Black/Black
Other:
Shoes: Hoka Transport Chukka Gtx shoes with GORE-TEX
Summer hat: Fjällräven Abisko Summer Hat Dark Olive MD
Winter hat: PeruvianLink – Ecoblend Hat
Gloves: MERIWOOL Merino Wool Glove Liners – Touchscreen Compatible
Neck gaiter: Columbia unisex-adult Fast Trek II Gaiter
Neck gaiter: Carhartt Men’s UP0204U Force® Stretch Fleece Neck Gaiter
Belt and Wallet (wallet that fits slightly larger sized euro bills)
Socks:
Personal Items
Sunscreen: TiZO3 Facial Mineral Sunscreen and Primer, Tinted Broad Spectrum SPF 40
Shaver: Men’s Braun Series 3-310s
Underwear: Men’s Merino Boxer Brief
Underwear: Men’s Merino Wool Midway Boxer Briefs
Underwear: Icebreaker Merino Wool Underwear
Antiperspirant: Certain Dri Everyday-Strength Clinical Solid Antiperspirant
Misc: Ibuprofen, aspirin, Q-tips
Earplugs: Earplugs for Sleeping Noise Cancelling
Toothbrush, case and RADIUS Dental Floss
Cutting board: Epicurean Small Cutting Board
Foldable Paring Knife (put in checked baggage): Victorinox Swiss Classic Foldable
Pour-over coffee: GSI Outdoors Pour-Over Coffee Drip
Binder clips or similar to seal bags like chips, coffee, cereal etc.
Travel-sized hand sanitizer
Travel spoon, fork, knife and ball-point pen
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Here’s how we can help you plan your perfect trip in 2025
GERMANY TRAVEL PLANNER: Just getting started? Have questions about Germany’s confusing train tickets or how to find the best guided tours? Not sure which parts of Germany should be in your itinerary (and what to leave out)? Our Germany Travel Planner answers those questions and more via how-to videos, our interactive Germany Planning Map, City Cheatsheets, and MUCH more. Click here to unlock the best of Germany the easy way!
GERMANY TRAVEL CONSULT: Feeling overwhelmed? Itinerary just not coming together? Wonder if a few tweaks would take your trip to the next level? Book an Itinerary Review, Full Zoom Consult or Complete Itinerary with Cate! She’ll help you create or tweak your itinerary, recommend train tickets/passes, hotels, things to do, guided tours, show you how to buy train tickets, orient you to specific cities, help you plan out day trips, and answer your Germany travel questions.
ACCOMMODATIONS: We recommend using Booking.com since they have widest range of accommodations available from hostels, boutique hotels, luxury chains, aparthotels, at the best prices. Check out our accommodation guides for specific recommended hotels.
WHAT TO PACK: If you’re bringing your phone, be sure to bring this plug adapter, this power bank, and this wrist strap. They’ve been lifesavers for us! You can see our other packing essentials posts at 15 Items We Take and Germany Packing List.
TICKETS & TOURS: For guided tours, day trips, private tours, and skip-the-line tickets, Get Your Guide is our go-to!
TRAINS & BUSES: To research train schedules and buy tickets or a Germany Rail Pass, we recommend the official Deutsche Bahn (German Rail System) website (and download their DB Navigator app). For buses, look at FlixBus, which offers tickets for routes within Germany and to other European countries. FlixBus is often cheaper than trains but can take longer.